Like a Brother
by geek179
Summary: He closed the window he had been watching and floated over, now in his old man form to the corner where the thermos was kept. The world did need help now after all. It would be fine; after all, he did know everything.


Clockwork watched as the ghosts tried to turn the word intangible. They would be able to do it, just too late. He shifted absentmindedly from his older man form to a child-like one. The asteroid would have already obliterated the earth; they just needed a little more power. He looked toward the thermos in the corner of his castle. It had been quiet recently, excepting its doomed fate. The being trapped in there was powerful. Its power would certainly give the ghosts the edge they'd need, but Danny would never forgive him, nor would the Observants. He shifted into his middle aged form with a sigh. Although, it couldn't hurt to check what would happen if he was let out.

A circle appeared with a wave of the purple cloaked ghost's staff. He watched the asteroid go through the earth harmlessly, and watched as his charges greatest secret is exposed. But that wasn't what he was searching for. He focused the circle on the individual with white fiery hair. His eyebrows shot up in confusion as he watched the scene play out before him. After a couple seconds his confusion turned into booming laughter. He absently shifted into his older form while he laughed. This wasn't expected. Not in the slightest. If he didn't know everything he would doubt it. Although, now that he thought about it they were connected in more than just DNA. They both went through hard times with the oldest half ghost and they both were quite independent, it was only natural that he felt a bit protective over the small girl. It was almost sweet as Dan Phantom, destroyer of the Ghost Zone and feared beyond belief in his own time, helped his clone learn to control her powers like an older brother would teach his little sister.

Clockwork watched, his red eyes crinkling, as they sat in a crummy apartment building because the little girl had begged him to help her get into a school just like all the normal kids. Dan had flat out refused at first saying that he wouldn't mix with the humans. But after much begging on Dani's part he had agreed grudgingly that he would mascaraed as her father, in his human form, so that she could fit in with the 'idiot humans that hero worship a bigger idiot' as he put it. She had squealed and thrown her arms around him in excitement. It seemed that she was tired of the Ghost Zone, Clockwork thought.

He smiled slightly at the argument they were having now. It seemed Dani was scared that they wouldn't like her. Dan was trying to be comforting, but it really wasn't a strong point of his, so he mostly just sat there awkwardly. Finally, he asked her why the hell they were here if she wasn't going to go to the school in the first place. Clockwork frowned at his tactic, but it didn't seem to bug the little girl. She looked up at him and told him that she was going and he was being an idiot. Clockwork laughed as she skipped out the door and told him to hurry up so he could drive her. Dan grumbled a bit, but did what she told him.

The next little scene was touching. It showed Dani in Batman PJs walking tentatively into Dan's room late at night. The ten year old was clutching a teddy bear with a black T-shirt that had a white Danny Phantom logo on it. There were tear tracks running down her face and a sad smile that could break anyone's heart. She tiptoed in and stood next to Dan's bed for a second. The man was sprawled out over his covers with his head on his pillow and his mouth slightly open, wearing only a pair of baggy sweat pants. Dani reached out to wake him up, but Dan jerked his eyes open before she could touch him. He sat up and looked around alertly, but then let his head fall back onto the pillow when he realized it was only the two of them there. Then he seemed to take in the little girl in front of him. He reached out and pulled her instinctively into a hug, while petting her hair and asking what was wrong. Clockwork had to smile at how kind the man was being to the small girl. It could only be considered adorable.

By now Clockwork had changed forms many times and was now in his oldest form again. He looked over at the green dented thermos in the corner and wondered why the being was so quiet. He may know everything about the world, but minds were another matter. As much power as he had been given Clockwork couldn't tell what was in your mind, or the mind that was currently trapped inside the thermos. So he knew what decision the ghost would make, but he didn't know why. Clockwork looked back at the small screen he was watching as he turned into his child form.

It now showed Danny and Sam walking hand-in-hand. They were laughing over something the latter had said and were being surreptitiously followed by cameras, when Danny looked up in time to see two figures in the sky. Dani and Dan, in ghost form were flying through the sky. When Sam questioned why Danny had stop he said it was nothing, but he had to check on something. Later that day Clockwork saw Danny enter his tower and demand an explanation for why Dan was running around the world and not safely in his thermos. He watched himself show Danny what he was watching now.

Clockwork smiled. All would be well. He closed the window he had been watching and floated over, now in his old man form to the corner where the thermos was kept. The world did need help now after all. It would be fine; after all, he did know everything.

**AN: Hi! *Waves* I own nothing… absolutely nothing! Except for Dan cause he's adorable!**

**Danny: I'm not adorable?**

**Well… technically you're kinda the same person… I guess you could be considered adorable… but Dan's more adorable!**

**Danny: *Grumble***

**I hope you liked it! **


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